Pork rind

[Robert]

Was at the supermarket and could not help myself buying some pork rind but I have NO idea what to do with it, any suggestions?

[Fiorella]

Yes! Great find!

Ok…here’s what to do. Unroll the rind. On the side that does not have skin, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and you can add a bit of dried spice, like sage, thyme or rosemary. Then flip it so that it is skin side up. The next step is to score the skin. Use the same scoring technique that I used in the recipe that I just posted yesterday. However, in the recipe, I was dealing with a large roast, so I used a linear scoring pattern…in this cut, I would score it to make a checkered pattern (i.e. criss cross the cutting lines). You will need a sharp knife. Here’s the link to the recipe showing how to score through the pork skin:

Bone-in Pork Shoulder Roast

So here is another very inexpensive but delicious cut that will make tons of meat…great to make and then divide into little packages for your freezer or fridge. Also looks wonderful as a fancy roast in the middle of a dinner table. First start with the roast in an oven-proof pan. Notice the skin…it will turn into beautiful crackling after the roasting process [image] Salt and pepper the bottom [image] This is not a necessary step, but I also added a bit of dried sage powder [image] And …

Note that scoring is just cutting through the skin, and not all the way to the bottom. When you are done scoring, lie the scored slab flat, skin side up, in baking dish. The baking dish should have about two inches high side. Careful not to put it on a cooking sheet without any sides (or too shallow), because you will be melting a lot of grease and create a hot grease pool (and you don’t want that spilling onto the bottom of your oven, or onto your hands when you take it out of the oven!) Then, sprinkle the top with salt and pepper, and rub it so that some of the salt and pepper fall into the scored cracks.

Place in oven at around 425 deg F for about 30 minutes…or until you are satisfied with how it looks. You will develop a delicious layer of juicy fat on the bottom with a crispy crackling top. Cut into serving portions, as you would a casserole, and serve hot. The cold leftovers, cut into cubes, makes a great leftovers the next day. You can throw the cold leftover cubes into a salad or vegetables and they will really enhance the flavour.

Don’t throw away the grease that melts off. Store in a jar and use as cooking grease in your next meals! It’s delicious!

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Edit: I goofed…I changed 325 to 425 deg F.

[Robert]

Brilliant @Fiorella, thanks

[Fiorella]

Let us know how it worked out for you…good luck

[justme]

I’ve never tried the raw pork rinds. But I do like the plain ones in the bags already cooked. I;ll check with the butcher and see what he’s got. This sounds delicious!

[Robert]

Start was encouraging

Scoring was like cutting leather

I would say about 40mins before it was crispy

But it was tough as old boots, the fat underneath was delish, the outer a chain saw would go blunt. I had it at 225C to p oven then moved to mid oven.

Where did I go wrong… ??

[Fiorella]

Ah…ok. Notice how there is no meat on the rind (in your first photo)? I didn’t know how much meat they would leave on or off. All I saw was a roll. I’ve done this before with a slab of meat underneath, which provides moisture and keeps the slab from going dry. In fact, the recipe I linked above, had a tender skin…again, because of the meat underneath. To re-tenderize the cooked skin, you would have to add it to stew or soup, to absorb liquid and soften.

Your other option is to cut the raw slab into large cubes, and then make pork rinds. This involves placing the cut cubes into a pan, bringing up the heat and allowing the cubes to render lard, and then you will get cubes floating around in its own rendered hot grease. They will eventually brown and become crispy beauties…but, I caution you that there is a point where you need to scoop them out quickly, or else it is too late. They are like waiting for an avocado to ripen…you wait until they turn to the right point of browning…and then bang, it’s too late, they are too brown. I recommend you google some you tube videos of people making crispy pork rinds at home, and watch their technique before you attempt it…or else you will get under-cooked (soggy rinds) or overcooked (blackened-charred) rinds.

[Robert]

Thanks @Fiorella, it was the supermarket so won’t be buying that again. I’ll ask the butcher for the cut you describe

[Fiorella]

I also suggest having a conversation with your butcher on what you are planning to do with cooking prep. For instance, I buy pork from a local farmer, who raises different breeds of pork…they have different qualities in meat, fat, skin…etc…as well as age of animal before butchering. This will help you know what you are getting into and the butcher is very knowledgeable of their sources/products.

[farmgirl]

I figured I’d better chime in here, as I have dealt with pork skins. Like you say, cutting into the skin is like cutting into leather, and baking only makes it worse. I ended up simmering the whole skin in water for a few hours. At this point it’s all extremely easy to cut into strips, pieces, or even remove some of the fat if the fat layer is thicker than you want. Once you get it cut up to your liking you can smoke it (I love smoking pork products because they’re so yummy that way); then fry the pieces in some lard till you get the crisps you want.